At the present time the game of golf is commonly referred to as a "rich man's game" because of the expense attending the formation of a complete course and particularly the putting greens. The golf course ordinarily also includes a plurality of tees from which a ball is driven, a fairway for each hole and some form of a hazard such as a lake or a sand trap.
It happens that a desert setting is particularly adapted for use as a golf course in that the sand or other wasteland material which makes up the fairway ordinarily has formations which are comparable to sand traps and in some instances has surface cavities in which water may be collected in the event of a rainfall and which would provide water hazards. However, ther is no particular part of a desert which is particularly adapted for use as a putting green.
The present invention is founded on the basic concept of providing a mechanical green which eliminates putting and substitutes therefor pitch or chip shots which indicate the accuracy with which such a shot is made with respect to the cup or compartment in which a ball is finally delivered so that a score may be kept which accommodates the drive and approach shots and the accuracy of the final pitch or chip shot which is related to the number of putts which are usually made on a conventional putting green.
Before this application was prepared for filing in the Patent Office, a patentability search was conducted which brings to light certain patents which constitute the prior art which the applicant believes to be the closest to the subject game. These patents are listed as follows:
U.s. pat. No. 1,656,740--Kurtz PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,580,583--Gentiluomo PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,856,313--Tierney PA0 U.s. pat. No. 4,006,907--Heffley PA0 U.s. pat. No. 2,164,808--Everett PA0 U.s. pat. No. 2,232,569--Johnson PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,275,325--MacKenzie PA0 Everett: PA0 Kurtz: PA0 Tierney:
Comment is made on certain of these patents as follows:
Everett is believed to be the closest approach to the subject mechanical golf green. The golf green of this patent is designed primarily for practice instruction for the playing of a miniature game, although it is suggested that it is readily adaptable for use as a regular green for a full-sized golf course. However, it is submitted that the putting green device of this patent was neither intended for playing a regular game of golf nor is it adapted to such use. In Everett the green is shown at 10, the driving tee at 11, and a hazard at 13. The mechanism comprises a central compartment 19 and two outer annular compartments defined by circular walls 18 which are concentric with compartment 19. It is important to note that the annular wall defining compartment 19 is formed with two diametrically opposed cups 21 and each of the annular walls 18 with a pair of diametrically opposed cups 16 which are in alignment with the cups in wall 19. Moreover, they are also substantially in alignment with the middle of a driving tee 11. Thus, when a shot is made from the driving tee 11, it is intended that it be received in one of the cups 16 and, due to their aligned spacing, the accuracy of the shot so far as length is concerned is indicated.
However, in the playing of an actual game of golf, the drive or approach shot will often be at one side of the putting cup and it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a player to chip or pitch a ball into one of the cups 16 from the side. Moreover, the return conduits 23 extend from the mechanical green 10 to driving tee 11 as depicted in FIG. 1. It would be literally impossible to play a regular game of golf on a standard course in which a ball after being delivered to a mechanical green is returned to the driving tee. This patent does have some relevancy to the claimed invention in that the sections in receptacle 26 recieve the balls from the return conduit and are marked with numbers indicating the score for each ball as depending on the compartment in which it is received. The fact that this mechanical green is not intended for the playing of a regular game of golf is established in that it refers to the playing by more than one player and the fact that as many as four balls may be received at any one time.
This patent discloses a golf game apparatus which the patentee suggests may be readily carried in the golf bag. It comprises an inner ring 1 and a larger outer ring 12 which is spaced from the inner ring. Thus the golf ball may be shot into either the compartment defined by the inner ring or the annular compartment between the two rings. There is no provision made for the return of the golf balls or a device for indicating the compartment from which a ball is returned.
This patent discloses a golf putting apparatus with ball return and which has three openings into which a putt is made up an inclined ramp with one hole designated as the making of a "birdie," another is "par" and a third one for a "bogey."
The remaining patents are cited to complete the picture of the prior art which is believed to be in any way relevant to the subject mechanical golf green.